Burlington Farmers Market opens

Jon Wagner and Karin Bellemare of Bear Roots Farm in South Barre at the first day of the Burlington Farmers Market Saturday in City Hall Park. This is the first year for Warner and Bellemare at the market.(Photo: Aki Soga/Free Press)Buy Photo

A steady stream of people filled the pathways of City Hall Park as the Burlington Farmers Market opened for the outdoor season on Saturday.

Food stalls, packaged products and craft vendors outnumbered produce sellers on the market's first day, a reminder that Vermont's growing season was just getting underway despite the recent summer-like weather.

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People stroll along the stalls on the first day of the Burlington Farmers Market Saturday in Burlington’s City Hall Park.(Photo: Aki Soga/Free Press)

"This is what we have on hand," said Jon Wagner gesturing to the bags of spinach on the table in front of him and the root vegetable in the bins in front of his stall.

Warner, who owns the certified organic Bear Roots Farm in South Barre with his wife, Karin Bellemare, said this is his first year at the Burlington market, a late decision that left him with minimal inventory on the first weekend.

Later in the season, Wagner hopes to offer some of the farm's signature produce, including husk cherries and okra.

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Megan Sullivan tends the stall for Lewis Creek Farm of Starksboro on the first day of the Burlington Farmers Market on Saturday in Burlington’s City Hall Park.(Photo: Aki Soga/Free Press)

Megan Sullivan, who was tending the stall for Hank Bissell's Lewis Creek Farm in Starksboro, said she there was little in the way of fresh grown produce this early in the season.

"Lots of starting flowers, leftover winter stuff, pickles and dried beans," Sullivan said, summing up her current offerings. Still, items that hinted at the bounty to come proved popular.

"We had some hanging strawberries that were turning red already," Sullivan said. "That went fast."

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Shoppers check out the root vegetables at the Lewis Creek Farm stall on the first day of the Burlington Farmers Market.(Photo: Aki Soga/Free Press)

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Some of the root vegetable from the cellar of Bear Roots Farm in South Barre on the first day of the Burlington Farmers Market Saturday in Burlington’s City Hall Park.(Photo: Aki Soga/Free Press)